Seagate Issues New FreeAgent For Mac Ext. HDDs
Not one to rest on its laurels (or platters, as it were), Seagate is introducing a slew of new products just days after tickling the small business arena with its new BlackArmor external storage solutions. Today, the outfit is bestowing upon the storage world a bevy of new FreeAgent external drives: the FreeAgent Go for Mac with USB, FreeAgent Go Pro for Mac, the 2TB FreeAgent Desk for Mac and FreeAgent Go Dock+ powered USB hub/dock for the FreeAgent Go.
Needless to say, each of these devices arrive formatted for Mac (HFS+), but users can easily convert them for PC use by formatting 'em right away on a Windows-based machine. The FreeAgent Go Pro for Mac packs a 7200RPM drive, perfect for media gurus who need speedy transfer rates between their main editing rig and the drive. Many of these solutions boast FireWire 400/800 interfaces that suit Mac users well, though USB 2.0 is prevalent just in case you run into a machine with fewer port options.
The new FreeAgent Go Dock+ connects directly to your Mac OS X or Windows computer, allowing access to all the content stored on a FreeAgent Go or FreeAgent Go for Mac external hard drive without fumbling with cables or trying to find an available USB port each time the drive is connected. We're not too sure how handy a dock is for a "portable" HDD, but if you wind up using this mobile drive mostly at home, we guess it's not a bad option to have around.
As for pricing and capacities, most of these portable units top out at 500GB, with the FreeAgent Go for Mac ranging from $99.99 (250GB) to $149.99 (500GB). The FreeAgent Go Pro for Mac offers FireWire sockets and goes for $129.99 (250GB), $149.99 (320GB) or $189.99 (500GB). The FreeAgent Go Dock+ retails for $39.99, while the FreeAgent Desk Drive for Mac 2TB is $339.99.
Needless to say, each of these devices arrive formatted for Mac (HFS+), but users can easily convert them for PC use by formatting 'em right away on a Windows-based machine. The FreeAgent Go Pro for Mac packs a 7200RPM drive, perfect for media gurus who need speedy transfer rates between their main editing rig and the drive. Many of these solutions boast FireWire 400/800 interfaces that suit Mac users well, though USB 2.0 is prevalent just in case you run into a machine with fewer port options.
The new FreeAgent Go Dock+ connects directly to your Mac OS X or Windows computer, allowing access to all the content stored on a FreeAgent Go or FreeAgent Go for Mac external hard drive without fumbling with cables or trying to find an available USB port each time the drive is connected. We're not too sure how handy a dock is for a "portable" HDD, but if you wind up using this mobile drive mostly at home, we guess it's not a bad option to have around.
As for pricing and capacities, most of these portable units top out at 500GB, with the FreeAgent Go for Mac ranging from $99.99 (250GB) to $149.99 (500GB). The FreeAgent Go Pro for Mac offers FireWire sockets and goes for $129.99 (250GB), $149.99 (320GB) or $189.99 (500GB). The FreeAgent Go Dock+ retails for $39.99, while the FreeAgent Desk Drive for Mac 2TB is $339.99.
